Man City interested in Van de Ven transfer

Manchester City are interested in signing Wolfsburg defender Micky Van de Ven, and they could hold one key advantage over some of the other clubs competing for his signature, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild planned?

Man City had a very quiet January transfer window, with 20-year-old midfielder Maximo Perrone, who joined in a £8m deal, ending up as the only addition to Pep Guardiola‘s squad, however there are some signs they could be busier this summer.

The Sky Blues have recently been linked with Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson, with the Englishman viewed as a potential long-term replacement for Riyad Mahrez, who is approaching the latter stages of his career.

It is not just in attacking areas that Guardiola is reportedly aiming to strengthen, recently sending club officials to run the rule over RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, who could be targeted by a number of top clubs in the summer transfer window.

The Latest: Van de Ven eyed

While Gvardiol would be a real statement signing for City, they are also eyeing a move for another Bundesliga centre-back, with Inter Live reporting they could target Wolfsburg’s Van de Ven (via Sport Witness).

There is set to be a whole host of clubs from across Europe battling it out for the 21-year-old, with the report also naming the likes of Liverpool, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Barcelona as potential suitors.

Wolfsburg value the young centre-back at €30m (£27m), and that figure, combined with his wages, means that the two English clubs interested may hold an advantage in the race for his signature.

The Verdict: Get it done?

With Premier League clubs recently being warned that the £100m-rated Gvardiol is not for sale this summer, Van de Ven could be a viable alternative, and he is available for a fraction of the amount.

Football scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the 6 foot colossus, describing him as a ‘complete & dominant’ centre-back, while he also praised his ability in possession, saying that he is ‘confident & comfortable’ with the ball at his feet.

Despite his age, the Netherlands international has established himself as a key player for Wolfsburg, making a total of 28 appearances so far this season, and he has already made a total of six caps for his national side at U21 level.

That said, the Dutchman is no match for Gvardiol, averaging a far lower pass completion rate, as well as fewer aerials won and non-penalty goals per 90 than the Croatian in the past year.

As such, the RB Leipzig centre-back should still be Man City’s priority signing this summer.